Faith
by Alex Verse Naberrie
Summary: "I need more time!" Holmes shouted, but to solve the case he would need something else.


"I need more time!"

"No, Holmes. The train'll depart as planned. I invested to much money in this project." Professor answered from the desk at his study, already half buried with many maps and documents. "I gave you one simple task – find out, who sabotaged the last transport. Don't tell me that you're too worried about your orphans to take any action."

"My Irregulars may be involved in smuggling your Italian wine or Irish ale, but they have noting to do with this!" Sherlock took a deep breath, he needed to calm down, he'd never manage to reason with Moriarty, if he started shouting again. "They don't know that it was me, Professor. I've made sure of it."

"That's why, they're still alive." he looked at detective thoughtfully. "Is it a disappointment, which stops you? You took them under your wings and with you gone, boys quickly took the path of a crime. What's more – the side of your murderer."

"I don't judge them. The life has never been easy on them."

"Elaborate."

"With all respect Professor, but I try to..."

"If you want to persuade me to change the plan, please indulge me and explain your reasoning with more details."

"Very well." Sherlock exhaled. "They'd never side with you. Moreover, Wiggins'd never allow for it. If they're helping with the transport, it's because they didn't have any other option and they don't know that it's you. Anyway, there is nothing harmful in few missing bottles of wine."

"And powerlessness?" Professor persisted. "Your clients often came form noble families or had a strong positions in the goverment, your one word during conversation with them, for example about about the state of poverty in London, could make quite an influence. You're silent, I see. Leave personal feelings behind, Holmes, and complete your mission."

"There're too many obstacles, too many suspects..."

"Enough!"

Sherlock closed his mouth, they ended in square one again. Detective was prepared for the worst, but to his surprise, Moriarty only shook his head.

"As with my pupils at Cambridge," he started. "I often give them tasks, which vary with difficulty. I quickly realized that shy young adults require easy ones, so they could also learn confidence."

"Some needs challenges," Holmes added. "so they could push themselves even farther."

"That's right." He stood up. "While reading Dr. Watson 's chronicles, before our encounter, I noticed one thing. You're not invincible, even you can be stuck in one place for a long time. To move, you need something or someone, who would be able to show you other way."

"I understand, Professor. Finding the saboteur may not be easy, but I'll manage. I won't be taking more of your time."

"I'm afraid that you don't understand, Holmes." Moriarty took some papers from his desk and came closer to already confused detective. "You've never needed an illumination, but faith in your skills, when you doubted them." he gave Sherlock document related to the case. "And I have much faith that you'll solve this, Holmes."

ooo

In the end, Holmes found out the culprit... or rather culprits. What's more, it was his Irregulars, who gave him the idea. It seemed that a few men, short in size, managed to impersonated his children and managed to delay the train or inform the local police about illegal transport.

But even, when his job was done, Sherlock still was worried. With small amount of data, Holmes could only suspect that boys were hired by Mycroft or Lestrade. He prayed that it was the latter. If not, they had endangered themselves and indirectly – also Watsons. Moriarty couldn't risk it and already assigned them to more _legal_ jobs.

The other option's implied that Irregulars really were desperate to find any source of solid income. Was the situation in London so bad?

He shook his head, for now he needed to stop thinking like that. Sherlock Holmes was not dead, imprisoned – yes, working for the devil to protect his fiends – also, yes. But as soon as there would be an opening, he'd run and make sure that the spider would never hurt anyone.

Unintentionally, the detective was reminded about his last conversation with Professor. He berated himself mentally, Holmes should have really remembered that before Moriarty became the Napoleon of crime, he had been an excellent teacher.


End file.
